Police briefs: Armed man robs gas station of beer, cash in Salinas

An armed robber stole money and beer Sunday after he begged a gas station clerk to let him inside on the cold night for some coffee.

Police said the clerk of the Shell station at 458 E. Market Street had locked the building because of recent robberies, but around 3:40 a.m., she unlocked the door to let the man in.

Once inside, the robber grabbed an 18-pack of Budweiser beer and told the woman he wanted all the business's cash. He pulled out a black handgun with a long barrel and pointed it at her, police said. The woman handed him money and the robber ran outside and got into the front passenger seat of a white Ford Econoline van. The van was seen heading north on Kern Street.

SALINAS

Man shot in leg after fight at party

A man who was shot in the leg pounded on a resident's door early Sunday asking for help, police said.

When police arrived around 1:35 a.m. at the house on St. Michael Way, they found a 19-year-old suffering from a non-life threatening gunshot wound to his right arm.

Officers said the man had been attending a party in the 200 block of North Madeira Avenue when four or five uninvited "gangsters" showed up and started a fight with him and his friends. The assailants walked back to their vehicle, police said, but the victim followed them. Once they reached a white Acura parked at

St. Helen Way and North Madeira, the shooter turned and fired three rounds at the victim while shouting gang slogans.